1 /*
2 * Copyright 2006 Assaf Arkin, Ralf Joachim
3 *
4 * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may not use this file except
5 * in compliance with the License. You may obtain a copy of the License at
6 *
7 * http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
8 *
9 * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software distributed under the License
10 * is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express
11 * or implied. See the License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations under
12 * the License.
13 */
14 package org.exolab.castor.mapping;
15
16 import org.castor.core.nature.PropertyHolder;
17
18 /**
19 * Describes the properties of a field. Implementations will extend this inteface to provide
20 * additional properties.
21 *
22 * @author <a href="mailto:arkin AT intalio DOT com">Assaf Arkin</a>
23 * @author <a href="mailto:ralf DOT joachim AT syscon DOT eu">Ralf Joachim</a>
24 * @version $Revision$ $Date: 2005-12-06 14:55:28 -0700 (Tue, 06 Dec 2005) $
25 */
26 public interface FieldDescriptor extends PropertyHolder {
27
28 /**
29 * Set the class descriptor which contains this field.
30 *
31 * @param parent The class descriptor which contains this field.
32 */
33 void setContainingClassDescriptor(ClassDescriptor parent);
34
35 /**
36 * Get the class descriptor which contains this field.
37 *
38 * @return The class descriptor which contains this field.
39 */
40 ClassDescriptor getContainingClassDescriptor();
41
42 /**
43 * Returns the name of the field. The field must have a name, even if set through accessor
44 * methods.
45 *
46 * @return Field name.
47 */
48 String getFieldName();
49
50 /**
51 * Returns the Java type of the field.
52 *
53 * @return Field type.
54 */
55 Class getFieldType();
56
57 /**
58 * Returns the class descriptor related to the field type. If the field type is a class for which
59 * a descriptor exists, this descriptor is returned. If the field type is a class for which no
60 * mapping is provided, null is returned.
61 *
62 * @return The class descriptor of the field type, or null.
63 */
64 ClassDescriptor getClassDescriptor();
65
66 /**
67 * Returns the handler of the field. In order to persist or marshal a field descriptor will be
68 * associated with a handler.
69 *
70 * @return The field handler.
71 */
72 FieldHandler getHandler();
73
74 /**
75 * Returns true if the field is transient. Transient fields are never persisted or marshalled.
76 *
77 * @return True if transient field.
78 */
79 boolean isTransient();
80
81 /**
82 * Returns true if the field type is immutable.
83 *
84 * @return True if the field type is immutable.
85 */
86 boolean isImmutable();
87
88 /**
89 * Returns true if the field type is required.
90 *
91 * @return True if the field type is required.
92 */
93 boolean isRequired();
94
95 /**
96 * Returns true if the field is multivalued (a collection).
97 *
98 * @return True if the field is multivalued.
99 */
100 boolean isMultivalued();
101
102 }
103